The tune has changed drastically in Los Angeles since the team signed Steve Nash and Dwight Howard last summer. While initial championship aspirations quickly faded away, the team still has a fair amount of talent and is hoping to reach the playoffs and possibly play the role of spoiler.
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Nash was asked at team practice on Wednesday his thoughts moving forward, and what the mindset of the team was as they fight for the eighth and final postseason slot in the Western Conference.
“Let’s enjoy being the underdogs. Let’s enjoy the pressure. Let’s embrace it.”
This is the attitude you want to hear, and it’s not surprising coming from a veteran like Nash. The team currently sits at 28-30 with two very win-able games coming up against the Timberwolves and the Atlanta Hawks. If the team is able to sneak into the playoffs, they’ll be looking to upset a top-tier team in the conference, which might be the Oklahoma City Thunder, who recently re-signed former Laker Derek Fisher.
Still, one of the reasons the team is left playing the role of underdog down the stretch is a lack of team chemistry that has led to the struggles so far this season.
In a recent interview, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak discussed these chemistry problems and how they impacted the team. Whether or not they’re able to solve some of these problems will go a long way in determining how successful the team can be the rest of the season.
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VIDEO: Steve Nash talks about embracing pressure and being an underdog
